Colombian Navy Intercepts Cocaine Submersible on Suspected New Route to Australia

The Colombian navy has intercepted a semi-submersible vessel laden with cocaine in the Pacific Ocean. This action occurred as part of an operation that has resulted in hundreds of arrests. Authorities stated the vessel possessed sufficient fuel capacity to reach Australia, which was believed to be a newly established smuggling route, and maps found onboard indicated this as its intended destination. Colombian security forces reported that smuggling cocaine from South America to Australia is particularly profitable. A kilogram of the illicit substance can command prices up to $240,000 (£190,000) in Australia, which is six times higher than its value in the United States. Officials noted this semi-submersible was the third such vessel seized in that specific area of the Pacific, suggesting to them that criminal organizations have established a new direct maritime route to Australia. According to the OECD, Australians are the world’s highest per capita users of cocaine, followed by Britain. The most recent narco-sub was intercepted approximately 1,200 miles southwest of Clipperton Island, an uninhabited French coral atoll located in the Pacific. The vessel, constructed from wood and fibre-glass, is presumed to have originated from the Colombian port of Tumaco, traversing thousands of miles before its interception. Vice-Admiral Orlando Enrique Grisales, chief of naval operations staff for the Colombian Navy, affirmed that all three semi-submersibles they had stopped were capable of sailing from Colombia to Australia without requiring refueling at sea. He informed reporters at a news conference, “The first was discovered in Colombian waters, and thanks to the maps it carried, we identified the route. That’s when we began working with Australian authorities.” These semi-submersibles were intercepted during “Orion,” a multinational naval operation. Over six weeks, security forces from dozens of nations involved in Orion seized a total of 225 tonnes of cocaine. The operation also led to the arrest of more than 400 individuals across various countries. Vice-Adm Grisales further stated that Orion had revealed strong connections between drug trafficking gangs in South America and Oceania. He commented, “They are organised crime networks joined together.” Colombian President Gustavo Petro extended his congratulations to the navy for the successful operation.